1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a remote control apparatus, a receiver and an audio system and, in particular, to a remote control apparatus that is capable of operating and adjusting a multi-channel receiver, and to a receiver that is capable of outputting multi-channel sounds, as well as an audio system that comprises the receiver and the remote control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In setting up an amplifier or a receiver used in an audio-visual (AV) system, such an AV system typically uses five speakers, which are to be placed at the front right, front center, front left, rear right and rear left sides, respectively, as well as a subwoofer for enhancing the bass sound. After the setup, the following adjustments may be required:
(1) Configuration of Speakers
In such systems, the following setups are required to regenerate the proper sound field with the five speakers:
(i) set the size (e.g., large/small or existence/absence) of each speaker;
(ii) set the existence/absence of the subwoofer;
(iii) set the value of the distance from each speaker to the listening position; and
(iv) adjust the balance of the sound volume for each speaker.
As for the above items (i) to (iv), the listener may input respective setting values or existence/absence indications serially in accordance with the setting menus on the amplifier or the receiver. In particular, as for the items (i), (iii) and (iv), the settings are required for each of the five speakers.
(2) Setup of the Listening Position (Adjustment of the Sound Volume Balance when the Listening Position is Changed)
Since it is desirable for the listener to listen to the music or watch the movie in the center between the left and right speakers, the sound volume balance is usually pre-adjusted to the state in which the listener takes a position in the center. However, if the listener changes his or her position to any position other than the center, a further adjustment of the sound volume balance may be required because the sound volume balance has become inappropriate due to the listening position change.
(3) Adjustment of the Room Acoustic Condition
Under the usual environment surrounding the listener, such phenomena can often occur that a particular frequency of the sound from the speakers tends to be reflected, diffracted and absorbed with the influence of the windows and/or furnishings. Accordingly, although a flat frequency characteristic is output from the amplifier or speakers, the frequency characteristic at the listener position may represent somewhat ups and downs. Therefore, such adjustment may be required as to gain a flat frequency characteristic at the listener position by means of adjustment of the graphic equalizer.
As for the configuration of speakers in the above item (1), the procedures and the setting items are usually too many, troublesome and not easy for listeners. Accordingly, if the listener, for example, watches the movie without an appropriate setup, there may exist such problem that the listener cannot gain the proper sound field.
Besides, as for adjustment of the sound volume balance in the above item (2), listeners have been conventionally requested to operate the remote control unit at the listening position to adjust the sound volume balance while he or she is actually hearing the sound with his or her ears. Accordingly, whenever the listener changes his or her listening position, he or she has to make a further adjustment, which may be troublesome to the listener.
Moreover, as for the adjustment of the room acoustic condition in the above item (3), conventionally, it has been difficult for the listener to adjust the frequency characteristic exactly so as make it flat because the listener should have made such adjustment based on his or her perception with his or her ears. Also, because the variation of frequency characteristic is caused by the sound reflection, diffraction and absorption against the window and/or interior furnishings, the listener has to make a room acoustic adjustment whenever the listener changes his or her listening position.